Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla tells UN of U.S. 'energy blockade,' reiterates offer of dialogue

September 28, 2026

Cuba's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, addressed the General Debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Saturday, September 26, 2026. According to the text released by Cuba's Foreign Ministry and coverage by UN News, Prensa Latina and Granma, much of the speech focused on relations with the United States, which he described as nearly seven decades of hostility that has intensified in recent months.

"Since January, 2026, this aggression has strengthened and become crueler and more dangerous, with the imposition of an energy blockade that, by resorting to intimidation and coercion, prevents any country from exporting fuel to Cuba — an equivalent to a naval blockade — which is classified by International Law as an act of war," Rodríguez said, as quoted by WLRN. UN News reported that he said more than 7,000 containers were stranded in ports, including shipments of food, medicines and medical equipment, some already paid for by Cuban private companies, and that he accused Washington of pressuring foreign investors and governments that host Cuban medical professionals. "Cuba is not a threat; the blockade is!" he declared.

The minister also referred to remarks by President Donald Trump, who told the Assembly on September 22 that Cuba is "an absolutely failed state" and that its government "will fall"; the Cuban delegation, led by Rodríguez, walked out during that speech, according to Al Jazeera and The Washington Times. If that were true, Rodríguez asked, why would Washington need a fuel blockade, secondary sanctions and pressure on countries around the world, according to Prensa Latina and Granma.

At the same time, he said Havana remains open to talks. "We have always been and we will continue to be ready to engage in a dialogue with the government of the United States to try to find a solution to bilateral differences, on the basis of responsibility, respect, sovereign equality, the observance of International Law, without any interference in the internal affairs of States and without preconditions," he said. According to UN News, he also described a program adopted by Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power that embraces new economic practices and actors within the country's constitutional and socialist framework, rejected the Monroe Doctrine, and warned that "the law of the jungle cannot be the future of humanity."

Later that Saturday, Trump told reporters at the White House, according to Al Jazeera and the Associated Press: "I would say that Cuba and us will make a deal. I don't think we'll need the military. Cuba is failing very badly. We want to help Cuba." On September 23, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in New York that Cuba has "a golden opportunity" to pursue political and economic change and that the United States is prepared to help, as this site reported. Rodríguez Parrilla has been Cuba's foreign minister since 2009 and served as the country's permanent representative to the UN from 1995 to 2003.